John j



i (No Model.)

-J. J. ENDBES. CABLE ROAD RAIL.

No. 347,782. Patented Aug. 24, I886.

N. PETERs Phewunw -lwr. washzn mn. u. c.

ATENT FFICEa JOHN J. ENDRES, OF; NEXV YORK, N. Y.

CABLE-ROAD RAIL.

ECIFECATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 347,782, dated August 24,1886.

Application filed January 25, lt8-i. Serial No. 189,599. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN J. ENDRES, of New York, in the county of NewYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Gable-Road Rails, of which the followingis a full,clear, and exact description, reference being bad to the accompanyingdrawings.

Theinvention relates to a new and novel form of railfor cable roads,which is adapted to be used where a cable is crossed, as in the case ofcross or branch tracks. \Vherevcr this arrz'ingement of tracks occurs,it is obvious that the rail crossing the path of the cable must in someway be arranged so as not to interfere with the cable being lifted fromits carrying-pulleys for the purpose of attaching it to a car, and tothis end it becomes necessary to cut the crossing rail in two parts andarrange such parts so as to leave a cut or slot in the rail, and suchslot will produce jolting or chucking of the cars as their wheels passover it, and such jolting particularly makes uncomfortable riding in thecars, and also weakens and wears the cars and rail-support ingstructure.

The present invention, therefore, has forits object the construction ofa cable-crossing rail which shall be practically continuous where itcrosses the cable, and so prevent the jolting of the cars as they passthe cable slot in the rail; and the invention consists, first, incontinuing the rail on each side of the cable for a short distance alongits path, thereby makingalong cable-slot, and in grooving one rail forthe passage of the flange of a car-wheel, so that the wheel in crossingthe cable begins to run on its flange just before the cable-slot isreached, and continues so to do until itstread has reached across thecable-slot and bears upon the rail on the opposite side thereof; and theinvention consists, also, in connecting the parts of the crossing raillying on the opposite sides of the cable bya bracket or bridge extendingbelow the normal position of the cable.

In the drawings accompanying this descrip tion, Figure l is a detailplan view of a cablecrossing rail constructed in accordance with theinvention. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the same on plane 00 a", lookingtoward the right of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a skeleton plan view of twobranching tracks, showing a cable-cross ing rail in place.

In these views,A represents the timbers supporting the rails. In thepresent case they are the timbers of an elevated structure.

B represents the rails of the right hand outgoing track, and O the railsof the incoming or return track, the arrangement here shown beingthat ofan elevated cable road where the cars are started from and return to thesame track.

D is the cable, and E (in Fig. 3) is that portion of the crossing railof the return-track where it crosses the path of the cable. The crossingportion of this rail consists of two parts, F F, running for a shortdistance side by side, and separated sufficiently to permit the cable tobe lifted up between them. These parts of the crossing rail aresupported in chairs G G, which form part of the bracket or bridge H,extending under the cable and between the parts F F of the rail, therebymaking the rail continuous as to strength and rigidity. Bolts I securethe rails to the chairs, and boltsJfasten the bracket to the timbers A.

K shows in dotted lines the position of one of the carrying-pulleys ofthe cable.

That one of the parts F of the crossing rail which is on the flange sideis cut away or grooved, as seen at L, and this groovclies along thedirection of the inside rail 0. The depth of this slot is the same asthe height of the flange on the car-wheels, as seen at M, where aportion of a wheel is shown in (lotted lines.

The operation is this: Asa car-wheel passes upon the grooved part F ofthe crossing rail, the flange of the wheel runs upon the bottom of thegroove L,and before reaching the cableslot the tread of the wheel haspassed over the cable and bears upon that part F of the rail on theopposite side, and the weight is now removed from the flange of thewheel to the tread. With these means the wheels of the car are caused toreach across the cableslot and bear upon the opposite part of the railbefore they leave the point L upon one side, and hence no dip ordepression in the rail is made which will producejarring orjolting ofthe cars. At the same time the work- ICC ing of the cable is in no wayinterfered with, and the whole rail structure is rendered stronger andmore durable.

What is claimed as new is- 1. Acable-crossing rail for cable roads,con-

sisting of a rail slotted for the passage ofthe cable, and extendingalong both sides of the cable-slot and grooved for the passage of theflange of a car-wheel, whereby the wheel in crossing the cable runs uponits flange until its tread passes upon the rail on the opposite side ofthe cable-slot, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. A cable-crossing rail for cable roads,consisting of a divided railextending along both sides of a cableslot and connected beneath thecable, and having one of its parts grooved for the passage of the flangeot'lhe car-wheel,

whereby the wheel in crossing the cable rnns upon its flange until itstread passes upon the stantially as and for the purpose set forth 3. Therail 0, slotted for the passage of the cable, and having its parts F Farranged on opposite sides of such slot, one of said parts being groovedat L, as and for the purpose 'herein set forth.

4. The rail 0, composed of the parts F F, arranged on opposite sides ofthe cable, and connected beneath the cable by the bridge H,

for the purpose herein set forth.

JOHN J. ENDRES. VVitnosses:

HENRY EWl-ILING, A. G. N. 'VELM'ILYA.

rail on the opposite side of the cable slot, subone of said parts beinggrooved at L, as and

